Kurobuta Ham
By: Chris Paulk

About

Kurobuta, Japanese black hog, is 100%% pure all-natural Berkshire pork. Its origins date back over 300 years when legend has it that the Berkshire hog was first discovered by Oliver Cromwell's army in winter quarters at Reading, the county seat of the Shire of Berks in England. Fancied for its exceptional flavor and consistency, the British refined the breed in the 1800's and later gifted the Berkshire hogs to the Japanese as a diplomatic gift. The exquisite breed had unique qualities of superior taste, texture and marbling that delivered a superior eating experience. A strong demand was created and still exists today for Kurobuta - the "kobe beef" of pork.

Information
Other names: Berkshire  ham


Physical Description
Once carved, the ham reveals a tender and moist meat enveloped in a generous layer of fat. Unlike other store-bought hams that can be jelly-like in texture, Kurobuta ham is firm yet chewy (without tons of fibrous membranes), filling the mouth with a mildly sweet ham flavor.
Colors: marbling of deep-red and flush-pink meat


Tasting Notes
Flavors: sweet, smokey
Mouthfeel: Tender texture  and moist.
Food complements: Mustard
Wine complements: Beer
Substitutes: Virginia ham


Selecting and Buying
Buying: Available online and at specialty grocers.


Preparation and Use
The ham is ready to be serve the minute you bring it home. We recommend serving it at room temperature but you may warm it up. To warm up preheat the oven to 275 degrees, loosely wrap foil around ham.
Bake 6 minutes per pound. Cooking times may vary.
Cleaning: Not required.


Conserving and Storing
For best results store in the refridgerator.If you have leftover ham and do not plan to consume it within 5 days, just wrap in foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator.


Social/Political
The art of creating hams dates far back in history and across many continents. Lore has it that the first hams were created in China, where resourceful cooks would smother a fresh leg of pork with salt as a method of preserving the meat while enhancing its flavor. This process was adapted through out the world, and many cultures have created their own regional recipes representative of their local resources. American cure masters have experimented with various combinations of salts, native spices and smokes in order to create their own signature masterpieces.
History: In Japanese, kurobuta translates as “supreme black hog.” The origin of kurobuta dates back to about three centuries ago and has been enjoyed in Japan for more than one hundred years.